For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB2020
There are many plant metaphors used to describe the life of a Jesus follower. Wheat and weeds. Good trees, good fruit. Bad trees, bad fruit. Sowing, watering and reaping. Remaining in the vine. Being rooted and grounded.
We all know that the life of a tree is in the roots. Even when the axe has been laid to the root, somehow life keeps springing up.
For us, the root is love. Everything we do should be done in love in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It says that somewhere in the Bible. How are we doing at that?
We are also grounded in love. We’re surrounded by it, it’s what we’re planted in. It’s what gives us a frame of reference, our paradigm of right and wrong. Is this love? God’s love surrounds us, we must drink of it everyday. Let the water of the Word refresh and renew you. Our roots pull moisture and nutrition from our omnipresent God by the Word and by the Spirit, which testify of His great Love for us. The fruit of our lives is a result of what we are consuming. Sow to the flesh, reap corruption. Sow to the Spirit, reap life.
We are rooted and grounded in love. The first fruit of the spirit is love. Love begets more love. Fruit begets more fruit after its same kind. As we abide in love, more fruit begins to appear. We see joy manifest. We have peace in our hearts and our minds. We become kind, do good works, patiently endure suffering as we wait upon the Lord’s return. Live in His Love long enough, and you’ll develop self-control. Self-control is only possible if you serve a power greater than yourself that you choose to submit to willingly.
God is building His Church. Unless it is built in love, the laborers labor in vain.
May the Lord lead you in His Love to those around you. Amen.